Sperm Survival

iVillage Member
Registered: 08-05-2003
Sperm Survival
6
Sun, 09-14-2003 - 7:18pm
I know that sperm is suppose to live about 5 days. My OPK said + today, but I don't have any EWCM. Will the sperm still live about 5 days or will it be less w/o the EWCM.
iVillage Member
Registered: 03-31-2003
In reply to: hstg
Sun, 09-14-2003 - 8:14pm
It's actually pretty unusual for the to live for 5 days. They CAN live that long, but the average lifespan is anywhere between 24-48 hours. As for the EWCM, my understanding is that it shouldn't really affect sperm survival that much. The CM just serves to allow sperm through or keep them out of the cervix. As long as whatever fluid is at your cervix is thin enough to let sperm swim through it and is not acidic, it should be fine. Congrats on the + OPK. Now get away from that computer and go find DH. You've got work to do!

:) Anne

iVillage Member
Registered: 07-09-2003
In reply to: hstg
Sun, 09-14-2003 - 8:47pm
Actually, I have to disagree a little with the previous post. The "up to 5 days" for sperm survival is for ideal conditions - and that includes having EWCM. Sperm will not live nearly as long if you have an infertile CM, as it won't be conducive to their survival. This is why a postcoital exam needs to be performed at a woman's fertile time - if it's performed when she doesn't have EWCM, the sperm will die very quickly.

Beyond that, five days is a little bit of a stretch, but it could happen.

Tami
Mommy to Anna 7.7.04 & Ben 11.19.06

iVillage Member
Registered: 03-31-2003
In reply to: hstg
Sun, 09-14-2003 - 10:39pm
I guess my post was a little misleading. What I was trying to say is that the CM will not affect the survival of those sperm that actually make it inside of the uterus. What it will do if it's not fertile is kill them before they get through the cervix (because the mucus is too thick to allow the sperm to swim through it and because it is acidic and kills the sperm). However, if a women is ovulating, even if she's not noticing obvious EWCM, she still probably has enough thin alkaline CM at the cervical opening to allow the sperm to swim through. Thanks for clarifying my post for me.

:)

Anne
iVillage Member
Registered: 05-08-2003
In reply to: hstg
Sun, 09-14-2003 - 10:46pm
Okay. So for example, let's take me this month. On Tuesday I had EWCM but was not able to bd. On Wednesday I was much dryer, but I believe that was the day that I ovulated. What your saying is that even though I was much dryer on Wednesday, since I was o-ing, I probably had enough there to give the little guys a fighting chance? Please say yes. :)

Susan

ttc#2 c2 cd17 dpo4

iVillage Member
Registered: 03-31-2003
In reply to: hstg
Sun, 09-14-2003 - 11:12pm
Ok, Susan... yes. :) What I was really trying to say (and doing an abyssmal job of it) is that even for the women who don't have EWCM ever, that doesn't mean that they always have infertile CM. During O, there is most likely enough fertile CM at the cervix to allow the sperm to swim through. In your case, if you didn't have sticky CM, it's likely that you still had enough EW left over at the cervical opening to allow the guys through even if you weren't feeling it at the opening. You know, I have a freind who is 8 mos. pregnant after miscarrying her first, then having to be on hold for over a year, and then trying for 6 mos. and finally giving up. The month she did conceive, they BD-d 4 days before O (she knows because she has O pain) and he pulled out. And THAT got her pregnant. So my attitude is that when it's time, it's time, and very little will stop it from happening. GL, Susan. I hope this month has a very happy ending!

Anne

iVillage Member
Registered: 05-08-2003
In reply to: hstg
Sun, 09-14-2003 - 11:15pm
Thank you Anne.

Good luck to you too.

Susan